J-ROD: THIS IS START OF NEW TOFFEES ERA

EVERTON new boy James Rodriguez hopes to become the Pied Piper of Goodison Park.

Rodriguez, a spectacular £20million capture from Real Madrid, says he’s ready for action when the Blues face Tottenham today, despite making just one appearance in his last six months at the Bernabeu.

The 29-year-old Colombia star insists he has moved to Merseyside in a bid to resurrect his career under his former

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti – and that other big names will follow when they discover Everton’s owners really mean business.

Rodriguez said: “There are some seriousminded people at this club who mean what they say about getting Everton into the Champions League.

“Of course, it helps when you’ve got the hugely knowledgeable manager we have.

“The club have proved their intent with the signings they have made in this window.

“Let’s now hope we can live up to the optimism and that over a period of seasons other big names will want to join us.

“The ambitions Everton have were very important to me. Now we have to fight hard to get into the Champions League.

“It’s a game every three or four days in England and you have to show a high standard every single game.

“I feel great. I feel like I could play right now because sometimes when you have a lay-off it can do you good.”

Ancelotti’s brief is to end a trophydrought now stretching to 25 years.

But the Italian also wants to take the Toffees back into Europe – and owner Farhad Moshiri has backed him to the hilt in the transfer market.

Everton were able to do a cut-price deal with Madrid so the Spaniards could save on the £150,000-a-week wages that the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup commanded. Another £50million has been spent beefing up the midfield by adding the muscular duo Abdoulaye Doucoure from Watford and Napoli’s Allan.

But it is the arrival of the forward known as J-Rod that has really captured the imagination of the success-starved Goodison fans.

The South American is already braced to face the full force of the Premier League whirlwind.

He said: “I know it will be really intense, with high-tempo games, and I know that strength is important.

“But I believe that, if you have ability and skill, it’s easy to adapt to any style.”